With the start date of the Magic Fountain Mosaic Mandala CAL getting closer, it's time to pick our yarn!
It's one of the most exciting things about starting a new pattern. What yarn to pick?
This blog runs through the yarn I've chosen for my second version of this pattern and why I chose it in the hope that you'll find it useful for choosing the perfect colours for your own project.
My very first version of this pattern worked a variegated yarn over a solid background, so for my second I chose to switch it around and use a gradient yarn for the background overlaid with a solid colour.
The gradient yarn I chose is Hobbii’s “Wheel of Alpaca” yarn in the delightful shade of Princess Party - a beautiful gradient yarn running from pale yellow through purple to bright pink. 🌟
It's no surprise that I've picked a Hobbii yarn - their collections of gradient yarn are some of the best and widest range available that have been inspiring designers and crafters worldwide for years....including me!
Wheel of Alpaca Yarn:
Composition: The Wheel of Alpaca yarn is an acrylic based yarn infused with alpaca. (80% acrylic and 20% alpaca) It feels luxurious and the alpaca fibres add a softness to the acrylic that will make your mandala extra cosy.
Gradient: The yarn features beautiful colour transitions, creating an elegant ombré effect. The colour journey starts with soft, pastel yellows and gradually transitions to brighter and more intense shades of pink that reminded me of a magical sunset!
Needle and Hook Recommendations:
Normally this weight of yarn would call for your 4.5 mm (US 7) crochet hook. However, the mosaic technique looks best when you size down a hook. The pattern recommends using a 3.5mm crochet hook and for my second version, I'm going to size down further to 3.00mm which will produce a smaller mandala than the sizing given in the pattern.
Why did I choose it for the Magic Fountain Mosaic Mandala CAL?
Gradient Beauty: Mandala-style crochet patterns often rely on colour transitions and intricate designs. The ombré effect of Wheel of Alpaca adds depth and visual interest to your mandala creations.
Softness: Mandala projects often involve repetitive stitches, so working with soft yarn like Wheel of Alpaca ensures a pleasant crocheting experience.
Stitch Definition: The yarn’s smooth texture allows stitches to stand out beautifully, enhancing the intricate patterns in your mandala.
Wheel of Alpaca in Princess Party is such a dreamy yarn that combines acrylic’s practicality with alpaca’s luxury. 🌈🧶
What colour combinations work well?
I used the traditional colour wheel to build the colours I wanted to use in my mandala. Start with any colour of your choice and move around the segments of the wheel choosing every second segment. Here you can see I've started with purple, then pink and finally orange. 3 colours work well for your variegated yarn.
You can see that I've chosen to stick to the outer circle which will be the brightest versions of each colour, however, you could choose the inner circle which would give you a more pastel based mandala.
The contrast colour will be the colour in the segment of the wheel right next to your last colour moving in the same direction i.e clockwise in my example below. So, my last colour was orange. This means, my contrast colour is yellow.
The combinations are endless and of course you don't have to follow the method above, you can go completely rogue and mix up your colours entirely!
Hopefully this blog post gives you some ideas and inspiration for picking your own yarns.
Don't forget to share your colour choices using the hashtag #MagicFountainCAL and get your hooks ready for February 24th!